To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated annual financial loss to the farming and food industries attributable to hydatidosis.

Returns received from a sample of slaughterhouses indicate that approximately 2 per cent. of cattle and 0·2 per cent. of sheep slaughtered in 1990–91 were affected with hydatidosis. However, this information is far from comprehensive and would not allow an estimate to be made of annual financial losses to the food and farming industries attributable to this condition.